Weatherproof covering for an outlet box



Aug. 22, 1961 R. c. KINSMAN 2,997,520

WEATHERPROOF COVERING FOR AN OUTLET BOX Filed Dec. 16, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F lg .6.

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Aug. 22, 1961 R. C. KINSMAN WEATHERPROOF COVERING FOR AN OUTLET BOX Filed Dec. 16, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.lO.

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ay-f INVENTOR Russell C. Kinsman ATTORNEY Aug. 22, 1961 Filed Dec. 16, 1957 Fig.|2.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 sa -Z United States Patent P 2,997,520 WEATHERPROOF COVERING FOR AN OUTLET BOX Russell C. Kinsman, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to The Bryant Electric Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Dec. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 703,130 6 Claims. (Cl. 174-67) This invention relates to electrical apparatus and more particularly to weatherproof outlets.

An object of the invention is to provide a flexible cover for an electrical outlet receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible cover for an electrical outlet box having an integral hinge.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible cover for an electrical outlet box that is dustproof and weatherproof.

The invention both as to structure and operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of an outlet box having a receptacle mounted therein and showing the flexible weatherproof cover in place, the cover being shown partly broken away for clearness.

FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional View taken on line IIII of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the flexible cover.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper and lower portions of the flexible cover showing details of its construction.

FIG. 5 is a central sectional view taken lengthwise of the cover along the line V-V of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an intermediate transverse sectional view of the cover taken along the line VIVI of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the cover plate for retaining the flexible cover in place and for cooperating with the latter to hold it closed.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line VIIIVIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the upper end of the plate shown in FIG. 7.

'FIG. 10 is a plan view of the back plate to which the cover plate shown in FIG. 7 is attached.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of the back plate taken on line XIXI of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view showing a modification of the weatherproof cover of FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a receptacle 11 is mounted in and secured to an outlet box 13 in the usual manner. The receptacle 11 may be of any well-known type, such as those disclosed in the patents to Smith No. 2,773,248 or Littman No. 2,735,- 080 assigned to the same assignee as this invention. Generally the receptacle 11 will include electrical contacts 12 mounted within the receptacle 11 to which access may be had by way of openings 14, for example by contact prongs on an attachment plug (not shown). As illustrated, the receptacle 11 is of the duplex type having two spaced sets of contacts 12 and openings 14. Mounted on the receptacle 11 by means of a center screw 15 is a back cover plate 17 shown in detail in FIGS. 10 and 11. The back plate 17 is provided with spaced apertures 18 for the receptacle to permit access to the contact openings 14, and has four tags 19 and 21 at opposite sides and ends, respectively, struck out therefrom to which is 2,997,520 Patented Aug. 22, 1961 "ice welded or otherwise suitably secured a plate 23 (FIGS. 1, 7, 8 and 9) having an integral flange 25 about a large oval shaped opening therethrough. The flange 25 has a flared portion 27 for receiving and retaining a flexible and resilient cover 29 in position to seal the receptacle from the weather and dust and the tabs 19 and 21 are welded to the inner side of the flange 25. The cover may be made of a flexible and resilient material such as natural or synthetic rubber. A sealing gasket 31 (FIG. 2) is disposed between the back plate 17 and the outlet box 13 or mounting surface.

The upper end 33 of the cover is rectangular in shape and is formed to fit within a recessed portion 35 in the upper portion of a beveled flange 37 on the plate 23. The upper end 33 of the cover 29 is provided with a notch 39 at its inner side which is passed over the bevel 37 in the recess 35 and an outer projection 41 is firmly clamped under pressure between the plate 23 and the adjacent end portion 42 of the back plate 17 to firmly hold the cover 29 in position along its upper end by the assembly of the back plate 17 to the plate 23.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the cover 29 has molded on the inside thereof an undercut or channel 43 formed by a rib or ridge 45, having an inner beveled side portion 47, all of which extend from the upper end around the remainder of the inner periphery of the cover.

In the closed position of the cover 29 (FIG. 2) the undercut 43 fits snugly against the sides and lower end of the outer periphery of the flared portion 27 of the flange 25 on the plate 23. Also in the closed position, a surface 49 (FIG. 4) on the cover engages a surface 51 also on the cover forming a sealing seam indicated at 53 in FIG. 2. When the cover is opened it hingedly flexes substantially along a line indicated at 55 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

In order to open the cover 29 it is only necessary to grasp a tab or extension 57 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and pull downwardly and outwardly. This distorts and stretches the flexible cover, in particular the ridge 45 to cause it to slip over the flare 27 of the flange 25 of the plate 17. The cover is then moved to its open position by hinging or flexing along the line 55. The cover is closed by pulling downwardly on the tab 57 and then pressing the cover into the position shown in FIG. 2.

According to the modification of the device shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, a back plate 59 is secured by means of a center screw (not shown) to a receptacle similar to that shown in FIG. 2. The back plate 59 is provided with spaced apertures 61 for the receptacle to permit access to the contact openings 63. Opposite vertical edges of the plate 59 are formed outwardly to provide elongated portions 65 to which are welded a plate 67 having an integral flange 69 about a large oval-shaped opening therein. The portions 65 of the plate 59 are welded to the inside of the vertical portions of the flange 69, and the plate 67 rests against out turned edges 71 at the sides of the plate 59. The flange 69 extends generally at substantially right angles to the plate 67 except for a portion at the bottom thereof which is formed downwardly as at 73 to provide a latch for engaging and holding a flexible and resilient cover 75 in position to seal the receptacle from the weather and dust.

The upper end 77 of the cover 75 is rectangular in shape and is formed to fit within a recessed portion 79 in the upper portion of a beveled flange 81 on the plate 67. The upper end 77 of the cover 75 is provided with a notch 83 at its inner side which is passed over the beveled flange 81 in the recess 79 and an inner projection 85 is firmly clamped between the plate 67 and the adjacent end portion 87 of the back plate 59. The projection 85 of the cover has an opening 89 therein into which a formed over projection 91 on the upper end 87 of the plate 59 extends to firmly hold the cover 75 in position along its upper edge by the assembly of the back plate 59 to the plate 67.

The inside of the cover 75 adjacent the latch portion 73 of the plate 67 has an undercut portion 93 formed by a short rib or ridge 95 having an inner beveled portion 97. In the closed position of the cover 75 the latch portion 73 of the plate 67 engages firmly in the undercut 93 and holds the cover closed with the flange 69 in contact with the inside of the cover.

In order to open the cover 75 it is only necessary to grasp a tab or extension 99 (FIGS. 12. and 13) and pull downwardly and outwardly. This distorts and stretches the flexible cover particularly the ridge 95 to cause it to slip over the latch portion 73 at the lower end of the flange 69. The cover is then moved to its open position by hinging or flexing substantially along a line 101 at its upper end. The cover is closed by pulling downward on the tab 99 and then pressing the ridge 95 over the latch portion 73.

It will be noted that the front and back plates of both modifications can be molded as a single piece and a small clamping plate provided to secure the cover thereto.

The invention provides a cover for an electrical outlet that is weatherproof and dustproof, of flexible, resilient molded material that is simple in construction, inexpensive to make and easy to operate.

While the invention has been disclosed in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the structural details without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a weatherproof electrical apparatus including an outlet box having a wiring device mounted therein, the combination of an elongated apertured back plate secured to said wiring device, an elongated front plate being amxed to said back plate and having an access opening aligned with an aperture in said back plate and surrounded by an outwardly extended and flanged portion of said front plate, an elongated cover of a molded flexible material having an edge portion fixedly clamped between and against portions of said plates, said plate portions being spaced along the solid planes of said plates from said front plate flanged portion, said cover edge portion being limited in perimetrical extent relative to the perimeter of said access opening, said cover including an inwardly facing recess and a rib extending into said recess for receiving said front plate flanged portion so as to hold securely said cover in a closed position and substantially to seal resiliently said access opening from the exterior.

2. in a weatherproof electrical apparatus including an outlet box having a wiring device mounted therein, the combination of an elongated apertured back plate secured to said wiring device, an elongated front plate being affixed to said back plate and having an access opening aligned with an aperture in said back plate and surrounded by an outwardly extended and flanged portion of said front plate, an elongated cover of a molded resilient material having an edge portion fixedly clamped between and against portions of said plates, said plate portions being spaced along the solid planes of said plates from said front plate flanged portion, said cover edge portion being limited in perimetrical extent relative to the perimeter of said access opening, a section of said cover edge portion enabling resilient pivotal movement of said cover about said cover edge portion, and said cover including an inwardly facing recess and a rib extending into said recess for receiving said front plate flanged portion so as to hold securely said cover in a closed position and substantially to seal resiliently said access opening from the exterior.

3. In a weatherproof electrical apparatus including an outlet box having a wiring device mounted therein, the combination of an elongated apertured back plate secured to said,wiring device, an elongated front plate being affixed to said back plate and having an access opening aligned with an aperture in said back plate and surrounded by an outwardly extended and flanged portion of said front plate, an elongated cover of a molded flexible material having an edge portion fixedly clamped between and against portions of said plates, said plate portions being spaced along the solid plane of said plates from said front plate flange portion, said cover edge portion being limited in perimetrical extent relative to the perimeter of said access opening, a section of said cover edge portion enabling resilient pivotal movement of said cover about said cover edge portion, said cover including an inwardly facing recess and a rib extending into said recess for receiving said front plate flanged portion so as to hold securely said cover in a closed position and substantially to seal resiliently said access opening from the exterior, and an integral tab on the other end of said cover for manually opening said cover.

4. In a weatherproof electrical apparatus including an outlet box and a wiring device mounted therein, the combination of an elongated apertured back plate secured to said wiring device and having forwardly extending portions thereon, an elongated front plate having an access opening aligned with an aperture in said back plate and surrounded by an outwardly extended and flanged portion of said front plate, said front plate being rigidly secured to said forwardly extending portions of said back plate, an elongated cover of a molded flexible material having an edge port-ion fixedly clamped between and against adjacent portions of said plates, said plate portions being spaced along the solid plane of said plates from said front plate flanged portion, said cover edge portion being limited in perimetrical extent relative to the perimeter of said access opening, said cover including an inwardly facing recess and a rib extending into said recess for receiving said front plate flanged portion so as to hold securely said cover in a closed position and substantially to seal resiliently said access opening from the exterior, and an integral tab on the other end of said cover by which said cover can be flexed to free it from said front plate flanged portion.

5. In a weatherproof electrical apparatus including an outlet box and a wiring device mounted therein, the combination of an elongated apertured back plate secured to said Wiring device and having forwardly extending portions thereon, a sealing gasket disposed between said outlet box and said apertured back plate, an elongated front plate having an access opening aligned with an aperture in said back plate and surrounded by a flanged portion of said front plate, said front plate being rigidly secured to said forwardly extending portions of said back plate, an elongated cover of a molded flexible material having an edge portion fixedly clamped between and against adjacent portions of said plates, said plate portions being spaced along the solid plane of said plates from said front plate flanged portion, said cover edge portion being limited in perimetrical extent relative to the perimeter of said access opening, said cover including an inwardly facing recess and a rib extending into said recess for receiving said flanged portion of said front plate so as to hold securely said cover in a closed position and substantially to seal resiliently said access opening from the exterior, an extension on the other end of said cover by which said cover can be flexed to free it from said front plate flanged portion, and a section of said cover edge portion enabling pivotal movement of said cover about said cover edge portion so as to permit said cover to be opened.

6. In a weatherproof electrical apparatus including an outlet box having a wiring device mounted therein, the

ombination of elongated front and back plates with one References Cited in the file of this patent vf said plates being secured to said wiring device, said UNITED STATES PATENTS ront plate being affixed to said back plate and having an 905,364 Raymond Dec. 1 1908 [60685 opening surrounded by an outwardly extended and 2 462 756 L 5 eopold Feb. 22, 1949 langed portion of said front plate, an elongated cover of 2 510 Kilgore June 6 1950 l molded flexible material having an edge portion fixedly 2:526:606 Gregg Oct 1950 :lamped between and against portions of said plates, said 2,665,353, Popp Jam 5 19 5 plate portions being spaced along the solid planes of said 2 739 717 Demke 23 1957 plates from said front plate flanged portion, said cover in- 10 2,814,404 Towns Nov. 26, 1957 :luding means for receiving said front plate flanged por- 2,867,345 Bellek J an. 6, 1959 :ion so as to hold securely said cover in a closed position 2,870,933 Winter J an. 27, 1959 and substantially to seal resiliently said access opening 2,880,264 Ruskin Mar. 31,1959

from the exterior. 2,904,204 Naphtal Sept. 15, 1959 

